


Otherwise Known as Sunshine

by soricute



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Victorian, Flowers, Fluff, Keith is royalty, Lance is a gardener, M/M, No Angst, One Shot, Slow Burn, Sunshine - Freeform, garden
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-12
Updated: 2017-01-12
Packaged: 2018-09-17 02:46:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9300656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soricute/pseuds/soricute
Summary: Lance works in the garden at the Duke of Altea's manor and finds himself in a blooming romance.





	

"Well, I've had about enough for now," I said, wiping the sweat from my forehead. "Want to break for lunch?"  
  
Hunk got to his feet before dusting the dirt from his slacks. "Do I ever! Let me just clean up." Nodding, I removed my gloves, setting them on the grass beside me. The two of us gathered our gardening tools, tossing each one into a pail as we readied for a much needed break.

You see I worked in the garden at the Duke of Altea's (Takashi Shirogane) manor. Shiro was an incredible man who was respected and loved by, well pretty much everyone.About a decade ago his parents had died in a terrible accident, and the title was immediately bestowed on him, as well as full guardianship over his young brother, Keith.  
  
Keith Kogane.  
  
When I started working in the garden last year I thought he was a visiting prince from some exotic land. Eventually Hunk informed me that the violet eyed beauty was in fact Shiro's little brother. We never interacted because the Lord was never in the garden, but I was grateful to catch a glimpse of him every now and again.  
  
"Ready?" Hunk asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.  
  
"After you my friend." We started on the path through the shrubbery. The tree branches hovered above us, so closely knit they functioned like archways, covered in white blossoms.  
  
I took off my cabbie hat, allowing my head to breathe. "Doing anything fun this afternoon?"  
  
"Hm," he placed a hand to his chin, "nothing tonight, but tomorrow Pidge is going to teach me to—"  
  
"You mean Lady Katie?" I asked.  
  
He gave me a blank look. "Anyway she—"  
  
We had finally reached our quarters when I remembered, "Quiznak! My gloves!"  
  
Hunk sighed. "Just leave them, Lance. They will be there when we get back."  
  
I was already pivoting on my heel, "I'll only take a tick, just go on without me!"  
  
I jogged lightly past the manor, back over the bridge, around the shed, and under the overpass. When I finally reached the garden I eased up, rounding the cluster of lily and hedges. My gloves were laying on the ground –right where I had left them– but a shadow lingered nearby. A few feet away from me was Keith laying on the grass, hands behind his head, with one leg propped up on the other. The bright afternoon sun was beaming on his pale face, and a few stray bangs that didn't quite make it into his ponytail fell over his closed eyes. Most importantly, he was smiling.  
  
He looked so elegant I could hardly take my eyes off him. Not wanting to disturb him I began to slowly step back to the entrance.  
  
_Snap_  
  
Dammit. A large twig crunched beneath my foot and Lord Kogane's eyes shot open as he jumped to his feet.

"You scared the shit out of me!"  
  
"I'm _so_ sorry my Lord! I didn't expect anyone to be here!" I panicked.  
  
He sighed, as the shock wore off, "It's— it's fine." He ran a had through his bangs before meeting my eyes. A gust of wind swirled around us as silence hung in the air.  
  
"I just need to grab my gloves," I said awkwardly, pointing at the pair by this feet. After spotting the lone gloves he bent down to retrieve them.  
  
"Here," his voice void of emotion.  
  
"Thank you, my Lord." I smiled at him as I took them, and he gave me this _really_ uncomfortable look before walking off.

____________

 

The following day the sun shone just as bright, but the temperature had increased. I took a swig of water and let the cool liquid cascade down my throat. Wanting more relief I splashed some of the water in my face and shook my hair a bit. Upon opening my eyes, my gaze fell on one of the nearby windows. I jumped slightly when my eyes landed on a familiar face. Keith was watching me, eyes wide and mouth agape. He closed the curtains with haste when he realized he'd been caught, but doing what? Staring? At me? No way.

_____________

 

It wasn't until a week later that things began to change. Hunk and I were working in separate ends of the garden for most of the morning, and I was squatted in front of a gloriosa bush when I heard footsteps approaching. I realized it was about that time to break for lunch and without turning around I spoke.  
  
"I'll be there in a second, Hunk. Just let me finish trimming the—" A pair of shinny black boots stopped next to me and I did not recognize them as belonging to him.  
  
"Oh!" I practically fell backwards when I looked up to see who was beside me. "Sorry, my Lord. I thought you were my cohort."  
  
The ends of Keith's dark hair curled over his white collar and his cravat tie was tucked perfectly in place. He stared at a the buds on a tree above us, ignoring my outburst. "So," he questioned, "what kind of tree is this?"  
  
I followed his gaze. "That beauty?" I smiled. "That's a dogwood."  
  
"It's pretty," he added softly. He paused for a moment before adding, "how long have you been doing this?"  
  
"Doing…?"  
  
He gave me a confused look, "Gardening?"  
  
I sat up a bit, "Oh, right. Hm, since I was just a boy really; my mom taught me. It was a way for us to bond," I paused before smirking. "Why? Like what you see?" I wiggled my eyebrows and tugged at my suspenders.  
  
Keith's face was completely flushed and before I could open my mouth to speak again he was walking way. "Good day my Lord!" I called after him, but he didn't respond. I threw my head back with a sigh, figuring I had upset him. However the next day he was _back_ , which couldn't have surprised me more.  
  
"Hello," he said, circling around the daisies I was currently watering.  
  
"Good afternoon, my Lord."  
  
"Keith," he stated.  
  
I blinked, "I'm sorry?"  
  
"Call me Keith." He shoved his hands into his coat pockets, shyly looking to his left.  
  
I grinned and nodded, "Okay, Keith. I'm Lance!" I said, poking a thumb at my chest.  
  
Then the stoic aristocrat did something I didn't expect; he smiled at me. "Nice to meet you, Lance."  
  
A light pink graced my cheeks and my smile curled awkwardly at the way he said my name. "Yeah," my voice cracked. Wow. Lance, please keep it together. I cleared my throat, "I mean, yeah, nice to meet you too."  
  
He walked away again, but this time he didn't leave the garden. He walked over to a bed of tulips before bending down, touching a petal delicately. "So, _Lance_. Do you have a favourite flower?"  
  
"Pffft! Of course! Let me show you." I scooped my arms in the direction I wanted him to follow. For the next hour or so I told Keith all about my favourite flowers and hedges; how much water they liked, the amount of sunlight that works best for them, how long they bloomed, and a little about my past.  
  
"—so your mom had her own shop?" He asked, as we both hunched over some gardenias.  
  
"Best shop in town." I winked playfully. Keith blushed and I regarded him with concern; for all I knew his pale skin was sensitive to the smoldering sun. "You okay?"  
  
He blinked a couple times before touching his warm cheeks. "Yes. Sometimes the sunshine can be overwhelming."  
  
I laughed, "Yeah I can definitely relate! Last summer there was—"  
  
"Lord Kogane," a deep voice beckoned from behind. Keith turned to find his brother's steward eying him. "My Lord. Please. Queen Allura has just arrived and your presence is expected."  
  
Keith's expression darkened. "I will be right there."  
  
The steward bowed and left and Keith huffed, irritatedly; cute. "Sorry to have kept you," I said.  
  
"You didn't." He extended a hand to me, which I took hesitantly.  
  
"Then, um. Guess I'll see you around?"  
  
"Tomorrow," he stated definitively.  
  
Again surprised my eyes brows rose. "Ah, okay. Tomorrow, my Lor—"  
  
"Keith," he said flatly.  
  
"Keith."

____________

 

Keith plagued my thoughts all morning; I just, I couldn't get him out of my head. I had always found myself attracted to him, but after spending so much time around him the past few weeks, I was drawn to his personality as well.  
  
Nyma –a pretty servant girl– drew my attention. My eyes pleasantly watched her carry a tray of tea out to the –often unused– bistro set. After placing it down she turned to leave, but met my eyes instead.

"Hey good lookin'!" I chirped.

She rolled her eyes. "Hi, Lance."  
  
"You bring that out here for me?"  
  
"What do you think?" She said with little patience, "it's for Lord Kogane."  
  
My brows shot up in surprise. "Wha— really!?"  
  
"Mhm." She studied her nails. "He wanted his afternoon tea in the garden today. Anyway, I have a bunch of work to get done, so I'll catch you later." She walked off and a goofy smile grew on my face as I stared at Keith's tea set; I was falling so hard.

I returned to my work and my mind returned to Keith. I thought about our time together recently, and how he seemed to open up to me more than anyone else. The sound of his most heartfelt laugh, how he always looked so lovely when he wore those—  
  
"Hello, Lance."  
  
"Ahh! Keith!" I shrieked, placing a hand over my chest. "You scared me man."  
  
"Clearly," he blandly stated as he sat down in front of his tea.  
  
Rather embarrassed and unable to shake the fluttering feeling in my gut, I grabbed a nearby wheelbarrow and decided to weed the opposing end of the garden. This would grant him enough time for him to finish his tea and leave; I couldn't talk to him with how flustered I felt. Thirty minutes later I was dumping the weeds in the compost and rolling my way back to my tools. I rounded the corner and to my surprise Keith was still sitting at the table; tea finished and book in hand.  
  
"I expected you to be gone by now," I said, wheeling past him.  
  
He looked up at me and his eyes narrowed. "Do you want me to be?"  
  
I threw my hands up defensively. "No! I just thought you came out here to have your tea."  
  
Keith's face softened up and his eyes leveled his book. "I did, but also for the sunshine."  
  
My face contorted with confusion. Currently the sky was gray, a faint glimmer of sun barely peeking through. " _Right_." I mumbled before kneeling down.  
  
I started hauling mulch near the flower beds and a few moments later I felt as though I was being watched. My stomach flipped because I knew the only one around was Keith. I stopped for a moment and from the corner of my eye I noticed him, staring at me, so I turned.  
  
"What?"  
  
"What?" he mimicked.  
  
"Why are you looking at me?"  
  
He paused for a moment before saying, "You are awfully quiet today."

 _H_ _oe_ _don't do it,_ "Awwwwh, Master Keith is worried about me?" _O_ _h my god._  
  
His eyes narrowed as he closed his book. For a moment he was silent, but then his face lightened up, "Um, well. Are you? ...okay, that is?"  
  
I scratched the back of my head and took a deep breath, trying my best to ease the relentless butterflies in my stomach. For now I would set these feelings aside and address them when Keith wasn't around. "Y— yeah. Just, thinking too much."  
  
Keith smiled, which was no longer a foreign sight. "Happens to the best of us." He got up, seeming more comfortable, and sat on the stone ledge of the bed. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I am," I grunted, shoveling a new layer of mulch from the pile and onto the roots, "Changing the mulch."

"Which means?"

I got down on my knees and started to disperse it. "Well you see—"

____________

 

Ever since that day Keith had his afternoon tea in the garden routinely. I started to plan any work I had near his tea table, in the afternoon when he arrived with his tea. A couple of times he would offer me some, but every time I would decline; it was summer now, far too hot for afternoon tea outside. Instead he started to bring water for me and even though I always had my own, I graciously took it.

It was a day in late autumn, when the tree leaves were beginning to alter and the flowers outside the green house were starting to wilt. I was placing a bunch of dwindling colchicum in the barrow beside me when an itching thought left my lips.  
  
"So what's she like?" I asked. Keith looked up from his book with a perplexed expression.  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"Uh, your betrothed?" I said as if it was obvious, "what is she like?"  
  
"W—What!?" he squeaked, before quickly composing himself, "I am not engaged."  
  
I put my shovel down and turned to him, halfway done digging through the roots of the dead plant. "What do you mean you're not engaged?"  
  
"...I'm just, not?" He shrugged.  
  
"Aren't you, uh, suppose to be? You know, to keep the bloodline going? Your family is related to royalty right?"  
  
He crossed his arms over his chest, seemingly embarrassed. "Yeah well, Shiro told me I was free to marry who I pleased."

I perked up, "…anyone?"

"Yeah." He couldn't even look at me when he spoke. "I am very fortunate."  
  
I went back to my work, blushing. "I'll say."

____________

 

A couple months past and the development between Keith an I was vast; we had become very close friends. Winter was right around the corner, so when I wasn't tending to the variety of evergreen shrubs outside, I was busy in the greenhouse with Hunk. Keith requested a tea table be added in the nursery so he could continue to enjoy his afternoon tea with us.  
  
We were potting a variety of conifers one afternoon, while Keith sat at his table –quietly reading a book– when Hunk approached me.  
  
"Lance, I'll be back in a bit. I have to go grab a few more bags of soil," he said, pointing at the door.  
  
"Sure thing," I said with the wave of my hand.  
  
The door to the greenhouse closed followed by the scratching of Keith's chair against the floor. I continued filling a large pot with soil when I heard the door open again. Shifting, I saw Keith stretch in the doorway, pulling his arms up over his head. His lean frame rocked side to side before a breeze drifted in, causing me to shiver.  
  
"What are you doing?! You're letting in a draft!"  
  
He glared at me before shutting the door. "Just getting some fresh air."  
  
Keith walked over to my side and watched me work. I nudged him as I eyed one of the numerous windows in the nursery. "Too bad the sunshine isn't here today, huh?"  
  
"It's here," he said softly. He wasn't technically wrong, the sun was only slightly covered by clouds.  
  
"Hm. Yeah, I guess there is some light peeking through." Keith let out a heartwarming laugh, taking me aback.  
  
_So_ _handsome_  
  
I smiled and wiped away some of my face sweat with the base of my glove, and right after Keith pointed at my cheek. "You smudged dirt on your face."  
  
"Ah crap," I said pulling off my glove to tackle the mess with my dirty hand instead, but he snatched my wrist.

"That will only make it worse. I will do it."  
  
I froze as his entire hand touched my face. He placed his thumb on my cheek bone and gently rubbed it, then his eyes met mine. His pace slowed, eventually stopped, and we just stared at one another. As hard as I tried I couldn't help that my gaze fell to his lips, which he seemed to notice because he was pulling me closer. My eye lids flickered shut and I felt my blood pump heavy in my veins.  
  
_BOOM_  
  
A slam echoed across the room, causing us both to jump and Keith to pull his hand away. He started coughing into it loudly to try and ease the now awkward tension. I glanced behind the tall, freshly potted greens to see Hunk stacking bags of soil near the door.  
  
"Keith? Buddy, you okay?" Hunk called.  
  
"Yeah," _cough,_ "Must be dust or something."  
  
"Lance! Get him some water while I finish this."  
  
I walked over to the tea table where a pitcher of water and a few glasses lay. Keith came up behind me and I turned, bowing dramatically I presented a full cup of water, "For you, my liege."

He just rolled his eyes and chuckled.

____________

 

For the next couple of weeks Keith an I found ourselves in similar situations. Sometimes it was a brush of the hands, other times it was charming compliments, but usually it was a look. Our eyes always lingered on one another's, as if our souls were connecting.  
  
It was Hunk's day off, so I was left by myself for the day. Usually when I worked solo Keith spent most of the day in the greenhouse. He only stayed for a couple hours when Hunk was working to give us space. Yet today he was nowhere to be found. It was late afternoon when I was busy sweeping the floors, ready to close up shop, when Keith walked in, trekking snow with him.  
  
"Where have you been all day?" I asked playfully, "Off swooning the villagers?" I exaggerated by draping myself over my broom. Keith just smiled before looking away.  
  
"I was busy," he said as he made his way over to a bench before collapsing onto it. He peered over at a potted camellia, and picked up a fall bud.  
  
"Busy? With something important?" I asked putting the broom back in its closet, "that's a first."  
  
"Hey! I do a lot of important things, Lance," he scoffed as I plopped down beside him.  
  
"Oh yeah? Name one." I challenged.  
  
He smirked. "Well I spend a lot of time with the sunshine."  
  
I laughed, "Except on days like today." I waved my hand absently toward the door. "Plus that's not _that_  important."  
  
"There is some today."

Scanning the sky in the window behind him, I found no sun; it was shrouded by deep charcoal storm clouds. My arms flung in the direction of the window. "How can you say that? There isn't even a flicker of sunshine!"  
  
"Yes there is." He held up the stray camellia and smiled at me before carefully placing it behind my ear. "It's right in front of me."  
  
My eyes widened as everything pieced itself together. All those times I thought Keith was referencing the literal sunshine, but he wasn't; he was talking about me.

I was Keith's sunshine.

His hand moved to my chin and our eyes met. Just like last time I looked down at his lips and he pulled my chin forward, but this time our lips connected into a smooth and tender kiss. When we pulled apart a moment later Keith pressed his forehead against mine; both of us beaming.

"I've waited so long to do that," he breathed.  
  
I laced my fingers through his hair and whispered, "I don't know why you waited," before pressing into another kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> feel free to message me at [soricute.tumblr.com](http://soricute.tumblr.com)!


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